sota is very extensive and contains the refuse of sixty 

 years of logging. The activities of mining, logging, 

 new settlements, new railroads, increase of population, 

 and thousands of campers, tourists, hunters and pros- 

 pectors, have increased the danger of fires since the 

 present system went into effect. Fourteen years ago the 

 country around Chisholm was a silent forest solitude. 

 To-day, within a radius of ten miles of Chisholm, is an 

 active population of 12,000. 



In striving for improvement of our present system, 

 PREVENTION is the thing to be mainly kept in view. 



1. Slashings. A law should be enacted requiring 

 every one who cuts and fells timber or wood for com- 

 mercial purposes to pile and burn the slashings — branches, 

 tops and refuse — at the time 0} cutting. This is being 

 done successfully by the United States forest service in 

 the Minnesota national forest and with the cordial 

 support of the lumbermen. Such a bill was agreed to 

 by the forestry officials of Michigan, Wisconsin and 

 Minnesota at a conference recently held at Madison, 

 Wis. So far as I know, the Minnesota lumbermen will 

 support such a measure. I endeavored to have such a 

 bill enacted six years ago, and if it had passed, I feel sure 

 the Chisholm calamity would not have occurred. 



2. Rangers. In dry and dangerous seasons there 

 should be an energetic and reliable man to speedily visit 

 localities where fires are liable to occur and inspect, 

 assist or compel the activity of local wardens. Ontario 

 has for many years employed rangers; and they are used 

 successfully in the U. S. forest service and in the State of 

 Washington. In a dry season forty or more rangers 

 could be employed in Minnesota, and to secure the right 

 kind of men their compensation for the comparatively 

 short time they would be employed should be about $5.00 

 a day and their expenses. 



